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Archive for November, 2008

MalacaÃ±ang yesterday downplayed allegations made by Pangasinan Rep. Jose de Venecia Jr. against the President as nothing but political statements coming from someone still sourgraping over the loss of the speakership in the House of Representatives.

Deputy presidential spokesperson Anthony Golez said the allegations made by De Venecia during yesterdayâ€™s hearing on the impeachment complaint against Mrs. Arroyo were â€œpolitical sentiments which serve political interests.â€

Former Agriculture Undersecretary Jocelyn â€œJoc-jocâ€ Bolante is facing contempt and possible detention in the Senate for his â€œseeming evasivenessâ€ in answering queries on the misuse of the P728-million fertilizer fund.

Blue Ribbon chair Senator Richard Gordon, before suspending todayâ€™s hearing, said the committee â€œwill deliberateâ€ whether to cite Bolante in contempt â€œso he could be confined in Senate premises.â€ He noted that â€œa lot of senators were not happy about his seeming evasivenessâ€ in responding to questions on his bank accounts, how he managed the fertilizer fund and his trips abroad.

MANILA, Philippinesâ€”For all the charges hurled against his mother in the latest impeachment case, Pampanga Rep. Juan Miguel â€œMikeyâ€ Arroyo Monday argued that none would stick in court.

â€œWhat my father is denying is that he was trying to broker a deal [with Chinese firm ZTE Corp. for the national broadband network project], not the golf game [with executives of the company],â€ Mikey said, responding to a litany of charges ex-Speaker Jose de Venecia aired at the start of the formal inquiry into the substance the fourth impeachment complaint against President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

MANILA, Philippines – A provision to postpone the 2010 presidential elections and extend the terms of office for all elective officials has been inserted into a House Resolution currently pending before the House committee on constitutional amendments.

This was revealed Tuesday by human rights lawyer Neri Colmenares, secretary general of the National Union of Peopleâ€™s Lawyers, as he belied earlier allegations by the pro-administration congressmen when they defended their proposals to amend the Charter.

The Philippine National Police (PNP) is still waiting for the return of the 105,000 euros (P6.9 million) seized by Russian customs agents from retired police comptroller Director Eliseo de la Paz and his wife who failed to declare the cash they were carrying at a Moscow airport last Oct. 11.

â€œWe are still waiting for the money. We believe that the Russian authorities have their own process (in sending the money back to the Philippines),â€ said a source, who requested anonymity.

MANILA, Philippinesâ€”The United Nations Human Rights Committee has said the Philippine government violated provisions in the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) in the murder of activists Eden Marcellana and Eddie Gumanoy in 2003.